


i don't want to face the world in tears

by GalaxyGhosty



Series: The Monster's Darling [12]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 05:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10564710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalaxyGhosty/pseuds/GalaxyGhosty
Summary: AU.“Mark,”Cry’s voice echoes.“Let me take care of it. Dark, for my favor, I want you to look Jack in the eye, and tell him what really happened to his mother.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Last part was calm. Now here's the storm I promised.
> 
> I've been wanting to do this part for a while. There's not a lot I can say about it other than the fact that I felt it necessary and proper. Obviously, this cat had to be let out of the bag eventually. 
> 
> Sorry in advance. This part was rough on me as well, oops. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy?
> 
> Title from "Of the Night" by Bastille.

_“...I know we haven’t talked in a while. I hope you’re doing well, Jack. I know we agreed to be friends, after that whole...fiasco. I also know that we haven’t really been maintaining that. That’s partially my fault. I’m sorry. But just--there’s some things I want to talk to you about. I’m really--I’m really worried about what you’re getting yourself into. And I know you probably don’t know what that means--sorry, I--I just. Your college friend. I don’t think--ugh. I still care about you, you know? So is there any way we could...get coffee or something? Just so I can talk to you, make sure you’re okay? Give me a call back, okay?”_

**[To hear this message again, press one. To erase this message, press three. To save this message, press seven.]**

Dark presses three, and tosses the phone back onto the nightstand, hoping it doesn’t make too loud of a clutter. Letting out a soft sigh, he smoothes a hand over the curve of Jack’s shoulder, scrutinizing his sleeping form.

It’s barely five AM. Where the hell does Fischbach get off on calling him this early, anyhow? 

A damn good thing he’d convinced Jack to turn the damn thing off between one AM and seven AM. Now it rings, but doesn’t make any bit of noise, and the voicemail picks it up. 

Has Jack gotten himself into something he shouldn’t have? No, he would have told Dark by now. Dark’s sure he would have heard about it too, at any rate. He has a small inkling that Fischbach may be referring to Dark himself, but that’s stupid. He doesn’t know anything about Dark. 

Unless Jack told him something, which seems unlikely. 

All that aside, he contemplates getting up, but the warmth Jack radiates is enticing, demanding all of his attention. He’s never been a lovely-dovey person, but sometimes these moments--he holds onto them. In the rampant noise and gore of his lifestyle, these moments sober him to a degree. 

Dark reaches up and flicks the stray strands of Jack’s fading green hair, pushing it up and away from his sleeping face. He’s so gentle when he’s sleeping, like nothing in the world can harm him, no nightmare or sour dream, no spiteful words or loud noise.

It’s strange to know, somewhere distant in the back of his mind, that he would do anything to make sure Jack stays, to make sure he keeps him. He would do anything to make sure he’s safe, and that this peace in his expression is something he’ll always have.

Disgusting, really. But Dark can’t pretend like the feeling isn’t there.

“You got that rumble in you this morning,” Jack murmurs, one blue eye opening to give him a lazy stare. “Shh. I’m sleeping.”

“Didn’t wake you up,” Dark says, matter-o-fact. “You woke yourself up.”

He makes a little snort at that.

“Something on your mind?” Jack’s voice is soft, still half asleep, but he reaches up anyway, looping his fingers into Dark’s hair. He loves to do that, for some reason. “God. What time is it?”

“Too early for you to be awake,” Dark replies. “Go back to sleep.”

Jack makes a little hum that has no business being that cute. 

Fuck. When did he become such a soft bastard?

“You’re thinking too hard,” he yawns. “Can hear it. Or feel it. I don’t know. Anyway, you’re--you’re staring at me. Can’t sleep with people staring at me.” 

“Bummer,” Dark’s already closing his own eyes. “Go back to sleep, Jack, or I’ll knock your ass out.”

“There he is,” Jack laughs. “Big Bad Wolf, at it again.” 

“Smothering you sounds like a great idea right now,” Dark sighs. “Sleep.” 

There’s a little huff in the darkness. “You’ll tell me in the morning?”

“Nope,” Dark replies, and that’s that. 

~~

His day is going just fine when his private cell rings. 

This unsettles Dark for two reasons--one, only two people know the number, Jules and Anti. Two, Jules is in the other room, and Anti has no need to call him when he can waltz into his keep whenever he feels like it. 

So that begs the question of who got a hold of his number, and how. 

With caution, Dark answers the call, letting them speak first, because he wants to know what son of a bitch is trying to intimidate him with their fancy theatrics.

_“Dark, buddy,”_ Cry’s voice fizzles through. _“Did you miss me?”_

Dark presses his lips into a thin line, curling his fingers into fists. He says nothing.

_“Hello to you too,”_ Cry hums. _“I see you’re doing well. It’s been so long, buddy. Business is booming, I imagine.”_

“What do you want?” Dark growls, trying to keep his voice even. Exploding onto Cry won’t serve any purpose. 

Cry clicks his tongue. _“Right to the point, as always. Small talk always did bore me, anyway. Right. So, if you remember, you owe me a favor, Dark, for returning your boy to you without a fight.”_

“I never agreed to the favor,” Dark says coolly. “I took Jack, and I would’ve taken him back with or without your petty handout.” 

_“Nevertheless,”_ Cry says. _“I handed him over. And now, you owe me. So I’m here to collect on that, since you failed to bring me my man all that time ago.”_

“What do you want?” Dark leans back in his chair. “Money?” 

A distorted little laugh. _“You’ll find out. Come to the factory on the edge of town. You remember--the place I met you for the very first time.”_

“And what if I don’t come?” Dark fires back. “What if I won’t keep my word?” 

_“Jack would like very much to see you,”_ Cry murmurs. 

Then he hangs up, and the dial tone follows.

Dark throws his phone against the wall. 

~~

“You could just not go,” Jules says. “You’ve got no proof he has Jack again. He could just be playing you, luring you into a trap. Let me check for him. Let me see if he’s not at home--then you can make a plan.”

“I’ve already wasted enough time,” Dark puts his gun into his holster. “I already know Jack’s at least--he’s not safe. He won’t answer his damn phone, and he never does that--”

Jules, for perhaps the first time ever, puts a hand to his chest to stop him. He breathes out uneasily. The stormy ice of Jules’ eyes burn into him, and not for the first time, Dark wants to punch him. “Look. I know that he means a lot to you, more than you’ll ever admit to me or anyone else, but getting into a fucking tizzy isn’t going to solve anything.” 

As loathe he is to admit it, Dark sighs. He knows he’s right. Popping his knuckles, he grabs his knife from his desk, slipping it into his back pocket, calmer than before. 

Then, he swipes up his earpiece, situating it into his ear. “Guide me through the place.” 

“You’d be dead without me,” Jules gives him a tired smile, and that’s affirmation enough. 

~~

Something’s wrong the moment he steps in. 

Mostly because it’s too quiet, and there’s someone leaning against one of the pillars, hood pulled up. 

The figure looks too civilian for comfort, but that doesn’t stop Dark from advancing toward them. At a glance, they don’t appear to be armed, but that too could be a sleight. A quick scan around the premises don’t give him any alarm bells, either.

_“No one else but one,”_ Jules says. _“Approach with caution.”_

Throwing caution to the wind, Dark draws his gun, leaving about two feet of space between them. “What does Cry want?” 

“What do _you_ want?” the rebuttal, and it’s definitely a man’s voice. A voice he’s heard before. “What are you gaining, from any of this?” 

“I didn’t come here to play games, boy,” Dark sneers. “Don’t get involved in shit that you can’t handle.” 

“I won’t let you hurt him,” the man moves himself off the pillar, pulling off his hood.

It takes every ounce of his willpower to not put a bullet in Mark Fischbach’s skull, right then and there. 

“Hurt him?” Dark lets out a humorless chuckle. “You think _I’m_ the one who wants to hurt him?” 

Mark shifts, and withdraws a gun of his own. He cocks it, pointing it at him. Dark almost laughs. “That looks too big for your hands.”

“I know what kind of person you are,” Mark whispers. “All this time, I thought--I thought you were his college friend. But you’re a fucking--you’re just this crime lord. They told me who you were, what you did--what kind of monster you were. And you’re putting Jack right in the middle of it. What do you get out of using him like this?”

His hand trembles. Dark knows, without a doubt, that Mark will not shoot him, even if he’s talking big. “My relationship with Jack doesn’t concern you. Just because you’re bitter of him choosing me doesn’t mean you can get involved into this. Do you want to die, Fischbach?” 

Unlike Mark, Dark will shoot. But more than that… “Who told you all of this?” 

“The people who are going to lock your ass up,” Mark says. “And keep Jack safe.”

Dark shakes his head. No, there’s no way anyone could’ve found him out. Besides, no government agency, no law enforcement will touch him at this point. With Jules on his side, he can pay everyone off. So that means--of course that means what he thinks it does.

“You poor, stupid boy,” Dark spits out. “Did you tell them where Jack was?” 

“He’s safe with them!” Mark shouts back. “Somewhere you won’t ever be able to hurt him--”

Dark fires a shot past his head. He jumps, his eyes going wide. 

“ _You stupid, stupid boy_ ,” Dark snarls. Fuck. Fuck, he’s with Cry again. Who knows what he’ll do to him this time-- “Where is he? Is he with Cry? Goddamn it. Your misplaced justice will have gotten him killed!” 

Mark looks like he’s about to rebuttal, when the doors clatter behind him. 

Static booms overhead, like something’s being projected. But very real, and very alive, is Jack, squeezing his way through. 

He looks to be in pristine condition, completely unmarred, which is a relief. 

_“I can’t get a reading on anything,”_ Jules blurts out, from nowhere in his ear. _“Sorry, Grim, I’m fucking useless right now.”_

“Dark?” Jack calls out. “What is this place--what are you--” 

His boy’s blue eyes fall on Mark. “Mark? Christ, how are you--why--? What’s going on?” 

Dark whirls on Mark. “What’s his game? Cry! Goddamn it, get out here and face me. What’s the purpose of Fischbach being here? Why involve him?”

“I don’t understand,” Jack murmurs. He steps towards them. He approaches Dark and Mark cautiously. “Am I...missing something?”

_“Buddy,”_ static fizzles overhead, coming from some sort of speaker system. _“Glad we’re all here. Dark, remember that favor you owe me?”_

Jack visibly pales. “That voice…” 

“Wait, you know him?” Mark mumbles. “Jack, how do you know them?”

“How do _you_ know them?” Jack fires back. “Mark, what the hell is going on?” 

“Shut up,” Dark hisses. “Just shut up! Cry!”

A little laugh. _“For my favor, I felt it necessary to bring Jack’s old flame as well. After all, you did delete that voicemail. Jack has a right to know.”_

Jack’s gaze flickers to him. “You were messing with my phone?”

“Don’t believe him,” Dark shakes his head. “Don’t believe anything he tells you.”

_“No, no,”_ Cry hums. _“Tell him. Tell him how you heard Mark’s voice on the phone, trying to unravel all your dirty secrets. Tell him how you deleted the message without ever indicating it was there. Tell him how you’ve been pretending you know nothing about his family, when you know everything.”_

Dark feels a tug at his arm, and Jack’s looking at him funny. “He’s not...he’s not telling the truth, is he?”

“Dark’s not who you think he is,” Mark says, and Jack’s gaze snaps to him. “Cry told me everything. Jack, he’s not--he’s not good for you. You never got that voicemail I sent you, did you?”

Mutely, Jack shakes his head. He’s looking paler by the minute.

With as gentle of a touch as he can muster, Dark pats Jack’s hand. “You know he’s playing mind games with you again, sweetheart. Cry’s got Fischbach brainwashed. He handed you over to them. I came to get you back, like I always do.”

“He’s manipulating you,” Mark warns. “He’s--”

_“Mark,”_ Cry’s voice echoes. _“Let me take care of it. Dark, for my favor, I want you to look Jack in the eye, and tell him what really happened to his mother.”_

He’d been afraid of that. 

Jack’s grip on him tightens. Dark can’t look at him. He sneers out, “The fuck do you get out of this, huh? You sick, twisted bastard.”

_“You flatter me,”_ Cry sings. _“Either you get to tell him, or Mark does. Your call. But that’s my favor. You say it, and we’re good to go. Squared away. Peachy, buddy.”_

“Dark,” Jack’s voice quivers. “What is he talking about? Do you know something about my mom?” 

“She’s dead,” Dark mumbles. “That’s true.” 

_“The entire truth,”_ Cry insists. 

He grinds his teeth. “She can’t be half dead. That’s the entire truth. She’s dead now, and she spent the last years of her life looking for Jack.” 

“And you killed her,” Mark says. Jack’s nails dig into him. “You looked her dead in the eye, and killed her.”

“You shut your fucking mouth,” Dark sneers at him. “You weren’t there, you don’t know a damn thing. I’m done playing your game, Cry! I’m taking Jack, and I’m leaving!”

_“Don’t be like that,”_ Cry chuckles. _“Continue.”_

Jack recedes away from him. His mouth open, he whispers, “You killed my mom? You...you knew? But you said that she...died of illness.” 

“I didn’t know it was her,” Dark replies. He really hadn’t known when he’d got the hit. He hadn’t even really been sure, until she confirmed a son that she never got to know, and a deadbeat first husband. “Baby, I wanted to spare you the details. She really did look for you. That--that’s true.”

Mark’s hands grab Jack by the shoulders, seconds before Jack stumbles back. “You gonna tell him the rest? How you stared her down, confirmed she was Jack’s mom, and then put a bullet in her?” 

“You weren’t there,” he rumbles out again. “You don’t know what happened, so shut your goddamn mouth, Fischbach.” 

_“I do apologize for that one,”_ Cry’s voice flows back in, not sound at all sorry. _“Went through an awful lot of trouble to make sure Jules couldn’t pick up that we were the ones who initiated the hit. Not that it mattered to you, right, Dark? All’s business for you.”_

That couple hadn’t done anything. Cry had snuffed them out, using their lineage to Jack as a weapon. The whole thing had been a ploy. Perhaps for this very encounter, this very moment.

But why?

_“No, no, fuck!”_ Jules, a cry from nowhere yet again. _“He’s fucking with us, right? Goddamn, I fucking hate being played.”_

“He’s lying,” Jack’s voice breaks. “He’s lying, right, Dark? You didn’t--you didn’t really--ha ha ha...it’s a joke, right? You didn’t kill her? Please, Dark...please tell me he’s lying.” 

“It was business,” he relents quietly. “I didn’t know, Jack. I swear to you, when I took the job, I didn’t know it was her.”

“But you knew?” Jack yanks away from Mark to tremble before him. “You knew after? And you didn’t tell me? You just--you lied to me?” 

Dark combs his fingers through his hair. “What exactly was I supposed to tell you? Yes, Jack, by the way, I killed your mother tonight. Did you want dinner?”

Fury floods into his cheeks. Shit. “You knew! You knew it was her! When did you know? Before or after you killed her?” 

Reaching up to his ear, Dark pulls the earpiece out. He tosses it across the room, and sucks in a deep breath. 

_Let this be enough, he finds himself hoping_. “What matters, darling, is that I made her a promise to take care of you. And Jack--I have been. I always have. I always will.”

That’s what does it. Jack’s eyes fill with an unbridled emotion, his entire form wracked with tremors. 

“Jack,” Mark whispers, and Dark’s blood boils when he puts his arms around him. Jack goes into his arms. “Hey, hey. Shh. It’s okay. He won’t hurt you anymore.” 

_“That was satisfying,”_ Cry laughs. _“True to my word, you’re free to go, Dark. Please, take Mark and Jack with you--should they even want to go.”_

“I’ll see to it that you’re killed,” Dark booms, to wherever he may be hiding. “I won’t stop until I see the light leave your eyes, and when you’re rasping, begging me for your life, you’ll remember this day.” 

_“Big talk,”_ Cry says. _“It won’t bring Jack’s mother back.”_

Dark returns his attention to the sobbing Jack in Mark’s arms. His skin crawls at the sight, wondering how many times this very act has occurred without his knowledge. “Darling, please. Do you think I wanted to do that to you? I wanted to spare you that pain. I wanted to--”

“ _SHUT UP!_ ” Jack roars, whirling on him. His face is so red, tears mingling in with rage. He's not sure he's ever seen Jack like this. “I don’t _ever_ want to see you again! Get away from me! _GO TO HELL!_ ”

As though all of his energy went into speaking those haunting words, he falls to his knees, shaking. Mark kneels down to rub his shoulders consolingly. 

Dark takes that as a sign to turn on his heel, and leave.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. Thank you SO much for the love this series has gotten. Feel free to come chat with me at galaxyghosty.tumblr.com! :D


End file.
